Top 5 SFs of all time

[plumplylumpkin]

Quote: Originally Posted by Randombagginz

Last night me and some friend were talking about the best players of all time and in the nba today. I said LeBron is one of the best to ever play basketball... they said he isn't even top 25 and that he isn't even a top 5 SF all time... I think LeBron is the best all around SF to ever play, and he still has about 7-8 years to add to his legacy. Here is a list of players my friends said are better than LeBron (in no order or ranking) Larry Bird, Elgin Baylor, Julius Erving, James Worthy, Dominique Wilkins, Scottie Pippen, Rick Barry, and John Havlicek.... ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I was arguing that players back in the 60s to the mid 70s would not make it in the nba today. I just don't see how they could keep up the athleticism of the NBA today, not to mention that fact that the players just werent as good back then as they are today. My friends said that if LeBron played during the 80s or 90s that he would not make the all star team once... The worst part is my friends were being serious about this, I just understand the level of hate LeBron gets.. Ok maybe he isn't the best SF ever YET, but his level of basketball talent is something we have never seen before. I can get Larry Bird being higher, as of right now, but cmon the rest?

I can see Larry Bird, Julius Erving, John Havlicek, and Baylor being better than Lebron as of now.

Quote: Originally Posted by Randombagginz

I get Bird, but do you honestly think think Pippen is better than LeBron? Pippen would have 0 rings without MJ. Pippen was a defensive beast, but other than that LeBron has him beat in almost every category.

And if Miami Heat wins a championship many people will tell that "Lebron would have 0 rings without Wade."
But really just shut up with the Pippen would have 0 rings bla-bla-bla, they had benefited each other to play their games to the fullest so maybe without the one, they couldn't win one.

Quote: Originally Posted by ewingandoakley

I found some more funny lebron things. check um out! The first one is perfect considering Lebron's missed free throw.

Of course! A knicks fan.

[Moses Shuttlesworth]

I wanna put Pierce in there but I always get flack for this.

Dude can do it all, and is a winner more so than anything else. Lots of top SF's don't have the killer instinct in crunch time that Pierce has had over the course of his career.

[ewingandoakley]

like your username moses!

[mrclutch]

Quote: Originally Posted by BostonsDaBest

I think Paul Pierce will be a top 10 SF when he retires, maybe even a top 5. For career totals, I think he is top 25 in most or every major statistical category, and he isn't done yet. Just my 2 cents, though.

I'm a Pierce fan but....No way he is in the top 5. He is a GREAT scorer but that is about it. Below average on D and only "good" as a rebounder and passer.
Like I said, love the guy but he clearly isn't top 5.

[iTofu]

Quote: Originally Posted by Randombagginz

Last night me and some friend were talking about the best players of all time and in the nba today. I said LeBron is one of the best to ever play basketball... they said he isn't even top 25 and that he isn't even a top 5 SF all time... I think LeBron is the best all around SF to ever play, and he still has about 7-8 years to add to his legacy. Here is a list of players my friends said are better than LeBron (in no order or ranking) Larry Bird, Elgin Baylor, Julius Erving, James Worthy, Dominique Wilkins, Scottie Pippen, Rick Barry, and John Havlicek.... ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I was arguing that players back in the 60s to the mid 70s would not make it in the nba today. I just don't see how they could keep up the athleticism of the NBA today, not to mention that fact that the players just werent as good back then as they are today. My friends said that if LeBron played during the 80s or 90s that he would not make the all star team once... The worst part is my friends were being serious about this, I just understand the level of hate LeBron gets.. Ok maybe he isn't the best SF ever YET, but his level of basketball talent is something we have never seen before. I can get Larry Bird being higher, as of right now, but cmon the rest?

I personally think your friends are just being haters when they say LeBron wouldn't even be in an all-star game in the 80s or 90s.

From a historical perspective, how they played compared to other players and their impact on the game, I guess I'd pick Bird, Baylor, Dr J and Havlicek ahead of him as of right now. The rest you mentioned, no.

To your point, I don't think players from the 50s or 60s could keep up either. It's very difficult to compare players from different generations. Players from today learn the lessons built up from decades of basketball. Players today get superior physical changing. Rules and fines have changed greatly. Three of the four I mentioned above might not even be big enough to play SF today.

Jordan didn't win his first title until he was 28. LeBron's 27. I guess if LeBron wins a few titles, you can bring this up with your friends.

[rockchisler]

Lets have this convo after he retires, To say he is the best sf ever is premature. Yes he has won 3 Mvps in the last 4 years but No rings.

[rockchisler]

And this is in the wrong thread. Mods can this be put in the basketball forum? Thx

[ewingandoakley]

back when I routed for him, I remember following that 2007 nba finals like crazy, and i think he did something that I find admirable. I think I remember his girlfriend giving birth during one of the finals games and he took a game off to be with his girlfriend. That is always the right thing to do.